I don't catch the Onion much anymore, but this is just priceless:
Top physicists from several major American universities appeared before a Congressional committee Monday to request $50 billion for a science thing that would further U.S. advancement science-wise and broaden human knowing.
The scientists spoke for approximately three hours about the complicated science machine, which is expensive, and large, telling members of the House Committee on Science and Technology that the tubular, gamma-ray-using mechanism is vital in some big way. Yet the high price tag of the thing, which would be built on a 40-square-mile plot of land where the science would ultimately occur, remained a pressing question.
...The highlight of the scientists' testimony was a series of several colorful diagrams of how the big machine would work. One consisted of colored dots resembling Skittles banging into one another. Noting the motion lines behind the circle-ball things, committee members surmised that they were slamming together in a "fast, forceful manner." Yet some expressed doubts as to whether they justified the $50 billion price tag.
"These scientists could trim $10 million if they would just cut out some of the purple and blue spheres," said Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), explaining that he understood the need for an abundance of reds and greens. "With all of those molecules and atoms going in every direction, the whole thing looks a bit unorganized, especially for science."
Another diagram presented to lawmakers contained several important squiggly lines, numbers, and letters. Despite not being numbers, the letters were reportedly meant to represent mathematics too. The scientists seemed to believe that correct math was what would help make the science thing go. (Emphasis mine.)
Those crazy scientists and their letters that are supposed to be numbers...
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That sort of reaction happens. I once got a phone call from a radio station in New York, looking for someone to comment on some publicity
stunt to hit a special golf ball off the Space Station (this did actually happen). Since that was the first I had heard of it, I told
them I would need a half-hour or so to calculate some numbers. I swear, the radio person went "Oh you scientists and your calculations...", like it was some endearing eccentricity.
That's better than the questions sociologists get asked. One professor, shortly before Christmas, was asked why kids don't write as many letters to Santa Claus any more. She replied, "the kids have wised up and started using e-mail."